The Happiness Kitchenhttp://thehappinesskitchen.com
Nutritious and delicious real food recipesFri, 10 Apr 2020 00:06:34 +0000en
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1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.1https://i0.wp.com/thehappinesskitchen.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/cropped-THK-favicon.png?fit=32%2C32The Happiness Kitchenhttp://thehappinesskitchen.com
323292512687Gluten-Free Quinoa Taboulehhttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/gluten-free-quinoa-tabouleh/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/gluten-free-quinoa-tabouleh/#commentsWed, 09 May 2018 19:36:35 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=1662Tabouleh is such a nutritious versatile dish. It's great as a side, a perfect addition to salad, and a super star on it's own. Traditionally, tabouleh is made with cracked wheat. This version uses quinoa instead, making it gluten-free and high in protein.

Hello all! It’s been a while since my last post, hasn’t it? One month…two months…over a year!

I could write a long, lengthy entry as to why I’ve been AWOL from this blog, but I think it can be summed up into these two main reasons.

1.aMy family got a dog.

Meet Amy. She’s our sweet golden-labrador-border collie mix. She’s brought us so much joy and happiness, but has also taken up a lot of time and energy.

Between getting her trained, making sure she gets enough exercise, and keeping up with my studies, there just wasn’t any time left for creating quality recipes, blog posts, and photos. More dog time = less blog time.

P.S. Amy is already a year and a few months now, but I wanted to share her puppy pictures because they are just so darn cute!

2.aI lost my inspiration, and I fell down the dangerous rabbit hole of comparison. They say that comparison is the thief of joy, and I had many moments with this blog and its Instagram where this statement resonated very strongly. I felt like I had to keep up with all the other food bloggers and got caught up in follower and like counts. I was no longer blogging for the right reasons (the right reasons for me that is), and I knew I needed to step back from this site and social media in order to find them. This break was honestly the best thing I could do for myself, my blog, and the love I have for cooking, food photography, and creating recipes.

Tabouleh is probably one of the most versatile dishes out there. It’s great as a side, a perfect addition to salad, and a super star on it’s own. Traditionally, tabouleh is made with cracked wheat (bulgar), but for this recipe, I decided to use quinoa instead, making it gluten-free and high in protein.

With the days finally getting warmer and sunnier (although we did get some unwelcome snow falls last month …classic Ottawa), my body is craving lighter, fresher fare.

Move over heavy stews. Hello bright, flavourful tabouleh!

One of the ingredients that gives tabouleh it’s incredibly fresh flavour is mint.

When I was younger, I always felt that mint only belonged in things relating to hygiene, like toothpaste, floss, and gum. The thought of putting mint into food items completely baffled me. Now that my tastebuds have (thankfully) grown up a bit, I’ve come to appreciate mint and the wonderful flavours it lends to dishes.

I didn’t have any mint when I first decided to make this dish, and a small part of me wanted to forgo this lovely herb (silly me I know). But how could I possibly make a stellar quinoa tabouleh without the mint? The answer was, I couldn’t.

And so, since I was very dedicated to making my quinoa tabouleh the best it could be, I biked out to the grocery store, in the rain, to get this must-have ingredient. I was soaked when I came back, but it was so worth it because the mint really makes this quinoa tabouleh taste incredible.

While flavour is the true winner of this dish, the fact that this quinoa tabouleh is incredibly simple to make is a close runner up. All you need is a pot for cooking your quinoa and a knife and board for chopping the other ingredients. That’s it, that’s all. No fancy shmancy kitchen gadgets required.

So what are you waiting for? Whip up this quinoa tabouleh and enjoy a big bowl of it out in the sunshine (at least that’s what I’ll be doing).

If you make this quinoa tabouleh, don’t forget to share a picture of it on Instagram and tag @thehappinesskitchenand use #thehappinesskitchen so I can see it.

Gluten Free Quinoa Tabouleh

Tabouleh is such a nutritious versatile dish. It's great as a side, a perfect addition to salad, and a super star on it's own. Traditionally, tabouleh is made with cracked wheat. This gluten-free quinoa tabouleh uses quinoa instead, making it gluten-free and high in protein.

Course Salad, Side Dish

Cuisine Healthy

Keyword Quinoa, Tabouleh

Prep Time 15minutes

Cooling Time 5minutes

Total Time 20minutes

Servings 6

Author Jasmin Meere | thehappinesskitchen

Ingredients

1cupquinoa, dry

2cupswater

1-2cupsdiced cucumber

1-2cupsdiced tomatoes

1/2cupmined red onion

1cupchopped parsley

1/2cupchopped mint

2garlic cloves, minced

1/2cupextra virgin olive oil

1lemon, juiced (about 1/4 cup lemon juice)

salt and pepper to taste (I used a 1/2 tsp of salt and a 1 tsp of pepper)

Instructions

Rinse quinoa in a sieve until the water runoff is clear to remove any bitter tannins. Fill a pot with 2 cups of water and add in rinsed quinoa. Bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce heat to a simmer a cook quinoa for 15 minutes.

While the quinoa is cooking, chop and combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl. Place your bowl into the fridge while the quinoa cooks.

Once the quinoa is done cooking, spread cooked quinoa in a single layer on to a large plate or baking tray. Place quinoa into the fridge for 5 minutes to cool.

Once the quinoa has cooled, remove quinoa and the bowl with the remaining tabouleh ingredients from the fridge. Add quinoa to the large bowl and mix until everything is combined.

Season with more salad and pepper if desired.

Quote of the Post:

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/gluten-free-quinoa-tabouleh/feed/21662Gluten Free Carrot Cake Easter Eggshttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/gluten-free-carrot-cake-easter-eggs/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/gluten-free-carrot-cake-easter-eggs/#commentsMon, 03 Apr 2017 22:49:24 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=1347Everyone knows that you need to have chocolate at Easter (if there were no Lindt bunnies, did Easter really happen?). Nevertheless, I think these gluten free carrot cake Easter eggs are a must as well! I mean, carrot cake just seems like such a natural choice in an Easter menu.

Everyone knows that you need to have chocolate at Easter (if there were no Lindt bunnies, did Easter really happen?). Nevertheless, I think these gluten free carrot cake Easter eggs are a must as well! I mean, carrot cake just seems like such a natural choice in an Easter menu, probably because carrot cake is made with, well, carrots, and who eats carrots? Bunnies, cute little Easter bunnies (human Easter bunnies included).

This photo never fails to make me smile. I always wonder what that little brown bunny must be thinking, seeing this giant pink bunny-like creature looming over it.

Anyways, back to the food part of this blog post!

As delicious and traditional as chocolate Easter eggs are, these gluten free carrot cake Easter eggs make for a fun alternative treat. In fact, this dessert is a great activity to do with kiddos! They’ll love getting to decorate their own little carrot cake Easter egg.

I think it’s a little funny how these cakes are egg shaped, but contain no eggs!

Yep, no eggs. Or gluten or refined sugar. This fun treat is wholesome, yet decadent, so you can feel good about eating more than one carrot cake Easter egg. Note: I’m not against (certain) eggs. In fact, eggs that come from happy-running-around-on-a-small-family-farm-and-eating-all-the-bugs-and-breathing-all-the-fresh-air hens are super healthy for you!

To keep our carrot cake easter eggs nice and moist, we’ll be using a mix of pumpkin puree and crushed pineapple! Don’t worry, you won’t be able to tell there’s any pumpkin in there. In fact, the pumpkin puree will actually help to sweeten our carrot cake easter eggs, as will the crushed pineapple.

It did surprise me that a lot of carrot cake recipes don’t call for crushed pineapple. However, I feel like crushed pineapple is a must in carrot cake. Not only does the crushed pineapple help keep the carrot cake moist, it also provides the cake with a delightful tropical burst.

Now, for an Easter celebration, I highly recommend taking the time to cut your carrot cake into Easter egg shapes. However, if you’re short on time, or if you’re serving this carrot cake for another occasion, cutting the cake into squares or baking in round pans works as well.

So, what do you say? Will these gluten free carrot cake Easter eggs make an appearance at your Easter gathering? I hope it’s a yes, because I’m sure your guests will love these sweet, little carrot cake Easter eggs as much as I do.

Before we get to the recipe for these carrot cake Easter eggs, I have a quick little story to share with all of you. (My mom loves this story and will tell it to everyone and anyone!)

So, for my very first Easter here in Canada, the sweetest, most magical thing occurred. When my parents opened up the front door and stepped outside with me, guess who was out there on the lawn… A little, fat grey bunny rabbit! Was it the Easter bunny just having come from delivering Easter eggs? Probably

If you make these carrot cake Easter eggs, please comment below and share a picture on Instagram. Use #thehappinesskitchen in the caption so I can see your lovely creations!

Gluten Free Carrot Cake Easter Eggs

This gluten free, vegan carrot cake is moist and maple sweetened. Once baked, the cake is cut into Easter egg shapes and decorated with a rich, cashew frosting. Kids (and adults) will have a lot of fun decorating these carrot cake Easter eggs!

Course Dessert

Cuisine gluten free, Healthy, Vegan

Prep Time 25minutes

Cook Time 1hour15minutes

Total Time 1hour40minutes

Servings 12-16 servings

Author Jasmin Meere | The Happiness Kitchen

Ingredients

Gluten-Free, Vegan Carrot Cake

1 1/2cup (250 g)brown rice flour

1cup (100 g)almond flour

1/4cup (31 g)tapioca starch

1teaspoon (5 ml)baking powder

1teaspoon (5 ml)baking soda

2teaspoons (10 ml)ground cinnamon

1/2teaspoon (2.5 ml)ground nutmeg

1/2teaspoon (2.5 ml)ground ginger

1/2cup (120 g)coconut sugar

1/2cup (118 ml)maple syrup

1/2cup (113 g)pumpkin puree

1/3cup (67 g)virgin coconut oil, melted

3tablespoons (20g)ground flax seeds

2teaspoons (10 ml)pure vanilla extract

1cup (225 g)crushed pineapple

1cup (125 g)walnut pieces

2cups (220 g)carrots, peeled and grated

Cashew Frosting

1/2cup (75 g)raw cashews, soaked overnight (or boiled for 15 minutes)

1tablespoon (30 ml)coconut oil, melted

1/2cup (113 g)crushed pineapple

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F/177°C. Grease a 9.5 inch by 13.5 inch rectangular baking pan and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Flip cake out of baking pan and onto a wire cooling rack. Allow cake to cool completely before cutting into Easter egg shapes and decorating with cashew frosting.

To Make Cashew Frosting

Blend the soaked cashews, coconut oil, and crushed pineapple in a high speed blender until thick and smooth. Transfer into an icing bag or heavy duty plastic Ziplock bag.

Shortly before serving, pipe icing onto carrot cake Easter eggs.

Notes

Cashew frosting doesn't hold the same way regular frosting does, so frost or pipe your carrot cake shortly before serving.

If opting for a round cake, divide carrot cake batter among 2 - 9 inch pans (greased and lined with parchment paper). Bake for 1 hour at 350°F/177°C or until a toothpick comes out clean when poked into the centre of the cake.

Carrot cake will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Store cashew frosting in fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Carrot cake scraps (that come from cutting out Easter egg shapes) can be used to top oatmeal, yogurt, ice cream, or make into cake pops.

Quote of the post:

“Always do your best. What you plant now, you will harvest later.”
– Og Mandino

I love baking with coconut flour. Coconut flour is loaded with fibre and heart-healthy fat. Plus, it’s gluten-free, nut-free, and grain-free, so pretty much everyone can enjoy it! However, coconut flour is no all-purpose flour; meaning, you can’t just use it as a 1:1 substitute for conventional flours. Trust me, I’ve tried and it just turns into a dry, gritty mess. Or I add too much liquid and it turns into a wet, soggy mess. Moral of the story, I’ve had little luck with using coconut flour.

Like me, you might be on your quest to try and find the perfect ratio of coconut flour (and along the way probably wasting quite a few cups of your precious ingredient). We could all spend countless hours in the kitchen and endure numerous failed attempts in an effort to successfully bake with coconut flour.

I must say, Regina’s cookbook could not have come at a better time. With 1 midterm, 1 group presentation, 2 term papers, and a slew of final exams in my near future, I was in need of something sweet and delicious (but still a bit nutritious) to keep me from burning out. I scrolled through the pages of her Coconut Flour eCookbook and came across the recipe for double chocolate muffins.

It was decided. Double chocolate muffins were happening here in my house. And I’m about to tell you why they need to be happening in your house too.

First, these double chocolate muffins are gluten free, grain free, and paleo; meaning, you can share these beauties with (almost) all your friends! Sharing is caring, amirite? Also, you can slip them into your kiddos lunch boxes for a sweet, healthier treat since these double chocolate muffins are nut free as well.

Second. Chocolate. Double chocolate. I feel like that one doesn’t need much explanation.

Third, these double chocolate muffins are so soft and moist and chewy and sweet that you’ll completely forget that they’re made without wheat flour or refined sugar. In fact, they’re so moist that they’re almost cupcake like! Best of all though, they’re not gritty (which often happens with coconut flour recipes).

Ohhhh yes. I think we can all conclude that these double chocolate muffins are simply amazing.

If you make these double chocolate muffins, don’t forget to comment below! Also, please share on Instagram with the tag #thehappinesskitchen and @leelalicious so we can check out your creations.

Coconut Flour Double Chocolate Muffins

These coconut flour double chocolate muffins are gluten free, grain free, and paleo. They're so soft and moist though, you'd never guess that they're made without the use of conventional flours and refined flours. These double chocolate muffins are also nut free, so they're safe for school lunches!

Add the flour mix to the wet mixture and stir until all lumps are gone. (Alternatively, you can blend all ingredients in a food processor or blender).

If batter seems dry, stir in 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk.

Divide batter into 12 muffin cavities. Top each with chocolate chips. Bake for 14-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Allow muffins to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store covered.

Notes

These muffins are quite sweet, especially if you're using sweetened chocolate chips. For a less sweet muffin, I recommend replacing the 1/2 cup of maple syrup with 1/4 cup of maple syrup and 1/4 cup of almond milk or coconut milk.

Recipe reprinted in full with the permission of Regina Braun of Leelalicious.comnote: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item from this link, I may get a small commission at no extra charge on your part. I only include links for products that I currently use and love. Thank you for your support!

Quote of the post:

“We cannot live only for ourselves. A thousand fibres connect us with our fellow men.”
– Herman Melville

I love coming up with recipes that make kale taste good. Like really good. First there was this goodness green smoothie, which was really fresh and delicious. Now, there’s this mushroom kale pesto penne, which I think is even better than the smoothie! Why? Because the kale isn’t all blended up and hidden. This time it takes center stage in all it’s kale-y glory. And it is AMAZING! (Plus this is a pasta dish and pasta will always be numero uno. In my books at least).

Just the other day, my friend sent me a video of chocolate chickpea hummus (haven’t tried it yet…but it could be good?), since I was the only person (student) she knew who had a food processor. I still live at home, so I am blessed to have access to a bunch of kitchen appliances. However, it got me thinking that it would be a good idea to create more student friendly recipes, one’s that don’t require any fancy kitchen equipment.

So here we are friends: a delicious meal that doesn’t require any fancy shmancy kitchen tools. The only kitchen things you need to make this mushroom kale pesto penne is a knife and a large pan or pot (and some measuring cups, but you could always just use a mug or eye-ball it). Easy! And if you thought this dish couldn’t get any simpler, this flavourful pasta recipe requires only 5 ingredients and only 15 minutes (yes, you read that right!)to put together. It’s the kind of recipe you keep around for when you don’t have much time to cook, yet still want to eat something healthy and scrumptious.

But, I’m pretty sure that once you see how much of a flavour explosion this pasta dish is, you’ll want to eat it every night! I know I do. Fragrant fried garlic, soft juicy mushrooms, tender sautéed kale, and bright flavourful pesto is the most heavenly ingredient combination.

And as we all know, kale as so many amazing health benefits! Here’s an informative online article discussing all the great health benefits of kale!

Frankly, the kale and mushroom mix is something special on it’s own. It’s so tasty and perfectly garlicky that it makes a great side for grains or any other meal that needs some more greens. Or heck, it could even be eaten on it’s own. I could definitely gobble up a bowl of just the sautéed mushroom and kale part of this recipe.

Of course, no pasta dish would be complete without a sprinkle of parmesan cheese! I opted for some homemade cashew parm, but you can definitely use regular parmesan cheese if you prefer. However, I would highly recommend the cashew parmesan. It’s delicious, “cheesy”, and made from nutritious whole food ingredients.

Alas, for the cashew parmesan, you will need a blender or a food processor. Nevertheless, these don’t need to be high-powered or high-end. A Magic Bullet (or other blenders along those lines) will make cashew parmesan! *high fives all around*

And there you have it. Quick, easy, super tasty mushroom kale pesto penne. If you’d like to amp up the nutrition factor of this already wholesome dish, you can always toss in some protein of choice (chickpeas, tofu, organic free-range chicken).

I really hope you love this dish as much as I do. This is definitely one my most favourite recipes so far, and I’m so very excited to be sharing it. Enjoy!

If you make this mushroom kale penne pesto, don’t forget to comment down below! I’d also love to see your rendition of this dish. Share on Instagram with the tag @thehappinesskitchen_ and the hashtag #thehappinesskitchen so I can check it out!

Mushroom & Kale Pesto Penne

Fragrant fried garlic, soft juicy mushrooms, tender sautéed kale, and bright flavourful pesto make for a truly healthy dish that comes together in only 15 minutes. It's quick, easy, and delicious. Feel free to add in extra protein to make this recipe even more nutritious.

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/mushroom-kale-pesto-penne/feed/311275Easy Homemade Baked Falafelshttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/easy-homemade-falafels/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/easy-homemade-falafels/#commentsTue, 07 Mar 2017 17:46:08 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=1136Falafels and I haven’t always been friends. Even when I was a vegetarian, I couldn’t get into falafels. Every one I tried was often too dry or tasted like cardboard. Sadly, it was looking a lot like the falafel train was going to leave without me. I wanted to like falafels, I really did. They’re...

]]>Falafels and I haven’t always been friends. Even when I was a vegetarian, I couldn’t get into falafels. Every one I tried was often too dry or tasted like cardboard. Sadly, it was looking a lot like the falafel train was going to leave without me.

I wanted to like falafels, I really did. They’re such an aesthetically pleasing food and they’re packed with nutritious ingredients. Thus, in my deep desire to enjoy falafels, I decided to give a homemade batch a try.

And magic happened I tell you. There must be something about the homemade touch (and lack of weird shelf-stabilizers) that makes everything better. With fresh ingredients and a lovely blend off spices in my bag, I was now all aboard the falafel lovers train. Will you join me on the falafel lovers train too? Yes? Excellent.

All aboard everyone! It’s time to whip up some easy homemade falafels.

These are so simple to put together and so darn delicious that I’m all set to make them at the beginning of every week and just have them in the fridge. These easy homemade falafels are perfect for adding to wraps, topping salads, accompanying pasta, or dunking into homemade garlic hummus and eating just like that.

Chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, spices. Add to food processor. Pulse, pulse, pulse. Roll into little balls, bake, and tada! You now have a batch of delicious falafels that are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Sounds like a perfect falafel to me. Honestly, I think what makes these easy homemade falafels so bright and flavourful is the abundance of fresh parsley. Herbs to the flavourful rescue, as always.

Falafels are traditionally deep-fried, so if you still want that hint of deep-fry-iness, you can gently fry them in a little high quality avocado oil (Chosen Foods avocado oil is my favourite) or coconut oil after they’ve been baked.

As mentioned earlier, these easy homemade falafels are so versatile. You could stuff them in a pita pocket for a traditional falafel sandwich. Or you could tuck them into wraps for a perfect protein boost. Perhaps use them to top salads or grain bowls? Whatever you do with them will be delicious.

I decided to make a pita sandwich with my falafels. I simply took a whole wheat pita, loaded it with homemade garlic hummus, and stuffed it with delicious fillings (chopped lettuce, tomato slices, cucumber, pickles). It was so fresh and so filling.

And so, if you’re looking for an easy, healthy meal, these falafels are definitely the answer. Whichever way you decide to use them, it’s going to be good. After you make these easy homemade falafels once, you’ll never be buying store bought ones ever again!

Also, if you make a batch of these easy homemade falafels, don’t forget to comment and let me know how they turned out. Share a picture on Instagramwith the hashtag #thehappinesskitchen as well!

Easy Homemade Falafels

These easy homemade falafels are made with wholesome ingredients and are so much better than store bought or fast food ones. They're also gluten-free, vegan, and use lots of parsley and spices for bright flavour.

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine gluten free, Middle Eastern, Vegan

Prep Time 10minutes

Cook Time 45minutes

Total Time 55minutes

Servings 16falafel balls

Author Jasmin Meere | The Happiness Kitchen

Ingredients

114 ozBPA-free can of chickpeas (2 cups or 330 grams of cooked chickpeas)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400°F/204°C.

If using chickpeas from a can, drain and rinse in a mesh sieve. Thoroughly pat chickpeas with a towel, trying to get them as dry as possible.

Add all the ingredients into a food processor fitted with an S-blade. Pulse until ingredients come together to form a soft, patty mixture. Don't over process as we don't want the ingredients to turn into hummus.

Scoop out approximately 2 tablespoons (15 ml) of the falafel mixture and roll into a ball. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Bake falafels on middle rack for 45 minutes, or until the falafels are crusty and golden brown and easily peel away from the parchment. If the falafels still stick to the paper when you lift them, they need to cook for a bit longer.

Notes

Falafels will keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

If you don't have a food processor, you can try using a blender. Just make sure to have the speed set on low and don't over process. Alternatively, you can make the falafel mixture by hand by mushing the chickpeas with a fork or masher and finely mincing the onion, garlic, and parsley with a knife. (P.S. I haven't tried these methods, but they're just ideas of what might work)

Quote of the post:

“What we think we become”
– Buddha

note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item from this link, I may get a small commission at no extra charge on your part. I only include links for products that I currently use and love. Thank you for your support!

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/easy-homemade-falafels/feed/121136Brown Rice Onigirihttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/brown-rice-onigiri/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/brown-rice-onigiri/#commentsTue, 28 Feb 2017 21:07:14 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=1063One of my best and long-time friends is Japanese. When we were little, we’d often share parts of our lunches (doesn’t every grade school kid?). Sometimes, her mom would pack her onigiri, which are seaweed-wrapped balls or triangles of white rice filled with meat or vegetables. I always got so excited when she offered me...

]]>One of my best and long-time friends is Japanese. When we were little, we’d often share parts of our lunches (doesn’t every grade school kid?). Sometimes, her mom would pack her onigiri, which are seaweed-wrapped balls or triangles of white rice filled with meat or vegetables. I always got so excited when she offered me one of them. Onigiri are so much fun to eat, and so tasty!

For this onigiri recipe, I decided to swap out the white rice and use brown rice instead. Frankly, brown rice is always a better option because it still has it’s bran. When you strip the rice of it’s bran layer, you loose the majority of the rice’s nutritional benefits. Since brown rice only has it’s outer hull removed, it still retains fibre, and nutrients such as niacin, vitamin B6, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, selenium, and a little bit of vitamin E. Basically, brown rice is the way to go if you do eat rice. White rice is pretty much void of all nutrients, and “instant” rice is best saved for packing.

Now, I’m no onigiri expert, but I don’t think you can have an amazing onigiri without a tasty, flavourful filling. And what could be tastier than a mushroom filling laced with lots of garlic and ginger? Honestly, this filling was so delicious, I kept stealing spoonfuls of it from the pan! Thanks goodness there was enough left to stuff my brown rice onigiri.

On top of being down-right delicious, this mushroom filling is so nutritious. Garlic and ginger are both known for their antioxidant, antimicrobials, antiviral, and immune-boosting properties. I wrote all about the benefits of mushrooms in my cremini stuffed mushroom post, but the gist of it is that mushrooms have incredible healing and immune strengthening properties. The more exotic maitake, shiitake, and reishi mushrooms are especially beneficial, but the more common cremini mushroom is still plenty nutritious. To keep a really distinct Asian flavour, I suggest you use shiitake mushrooms to stuff your brown rice onigiri. Nevertheless, cremini (white) mushrooms will be just as tasty.

Alright, I’m not going to lie. Putting together these brown rice onigiri did take quite a bit of time. It would be a million times faster to just cook up some brown rice and spoon the mushroom filling on top. But let’s face it, it’s so much more fun to eat little balls of something rather than just a plain ol’ bowl of something.

I guess what I’m trying to say here is that if you’re pressed for time, rolling and stuffing brown rice onigiri might not be a wise option.

However, don’t let that stop you from making these brown rice onigiri when you do have some time on your hands. They make such a great snack or lunch/dinner addition. I like to make these on the weekend and have them in the fridge for whenever I’m feeling peckish.

And if you’re making this for little kids (or adults too actually), you can even get creative with your seaweed cut-outs. Seriously, how cute is this caterpillar? I’ve even see kitty-cat and panda onigiri! The sky is the limit for what cute little brown rice onigiri creations you could possibly come up with!

Did you try out these brown rice onigiri! I’d love to know how they turned out. Comment below or share a photo on Instagram with #thehappinesskithen and tag @thehappineskitchen_

Brown Rice Onigiri with Mushroom Filling

Onigiri is a Japanese snack made of white rice balls that are filled with meat or vegetables and wrapped in seaweed. This recipe ups the nutrition factor by subbing out white rice for brown rice. The addition of a flavourful filling of mushrooms, garlic, ginger, and green onions makes this fun little snack even healthier.

Once rice is finished cooking, set it aside until it is cool to the touch.

Fill a small bowl with warm water. Wet your hands, then scoop out about 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of rice. Form into a ball. With your finger, form a small well in the rice ball. Carefully spoon in a teaspoon (5 mL) of mushroom mixture and seal the rice ball together.

Cut out a strip of nori about 1 inch wide and 4 inches long. Gently wet the nori strip and wrap it around the rice ball.

Notes

Your brown rice balls will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days.

Quote of the post:

“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.”
– John Wooden

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/brown-rice-onigiri/feed/141063Chickpea Sweet Potato Curryhttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/chickpea-sweet-potato-curry/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/chickpea-sweet-potato-curry/#commentsTue, 21 Feb 2017 17:13:10 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=1008Being sick could not have come at a better time. I had been feeling under the weather all last week, but as soon as my school break started, my body gave up and decided not to work anymore. My voice is pretty much non-existant. Better now then when my courses were running, right?

]]>Being sick could not have come at a better time. I had been feeling under the weather all last week, but as soon as my school break started, my body gave up and decided not to work anymore. My voice is pretty much non-existant. Better now then when my courses were running, right? Of course, not being sick at all is always preferable.

For all of you who are fending off a nasty cold (and for those of you who don’t want to get sick this season), here’s a hearty chickpea sweet potato curry that will get us all feeling in tip top shape in no-time! This flavourful chickpea sweet potato curry is wonderfully easy to make and uses ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry (yay for no trips to the grocery store!). Plus, no fancy kitchen equipment is needed either. If you’ve got a pot, a knife, and a can opener, you’re good to go!

Turmeric, ginger, garlic, and onions are all foods that you should immediately reach for when you’re starting to feel a cold coming on. Or you know, just eat them all on the regular to prevent yourself from getting sick in the first place (prevention is key friends!). Each of these ingredients are known for their powerful anti-inflammatory effects (which is very much needed when you’re wanting to recover).

The curry sauce that the ingredients simmer in is really what makes this dish. You can never go wrong with heating together coconut milk, onions, garlic, ginger, and spices!

This chickpea sweet potato curry has the perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness. Eating it is like giving your insides a big hug. The turmeric, ginger, and curry powder provide a mild heat that really warms up your body. Stewing all the ingredients in coconut milk makes the chickpea sweet potato curry extra rich!

I must be in some kind of chickpea phase, because just the other week I published the recipe for this super simple garlic hummus. What can I say, chickpeas are a darn delicious pulse! I used chickpeas and sweet potatoes to add heartiness to this tasty curry, but any other vegetables can be thrown in. Carrots and zucchini maybe? Frankly, once you’ve made up the curry sauce, any add ins are up to you!

I like serving this curry with brown rice, but feel free to substitute quinoa, cauliflower “rice”, or even nann bread. And, if you’re lucky to have some curry leftover, it tastes even better the next day!

Did you make this chickpea sweet potato curry? If yes, don’t forget to comment and share of photo of it on Instagram with hashtag #thehappinesskitchen and the tag @thehappinesskitchen_.

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/chickpea-sweet-potato-curry/feed/111008Super Simple Garlic Hummushttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/simple-garlic-hummus/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/simple-garlic-hummus/#respondWed, 08 Feb 2017 19:19:14 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=654I believe that a successful study session (or work session or any time of the day for that matter) always involves snacks. And the best snacks are the ones that are just as healthy as they are delicious! Cue this super simple garlic hummus.

I believe that a successful study session (or work session or any time of the day for that matter) always involves snacks. And the best snacks are the ones that are just as healthy as they are delicious! Cue this super simple garlic hummus.

While a package of cookies or an entire bag of chips is very tempting to have on your desk for when you feel like nibbling, they can often leave you feeling quite bleh afterwards. Feeling bleh never helps when trying to absorb as much knowledge as possible or when working on other productive tasks.

Thankfully, this simple garlic hummus is going to leave you energized to tackle whatever you need to get done. It’s loaded with fibre, zinc, and magnesium thanks to the chickpeas. Plus, this simple garlic hummus tastes just so darn good. Most people like to eat hummus with cut up veggies or crackers, but I’d have absolutely no judgements if you decided to simply plunge a spoon into this simple garlic hummus and eat it just like that. While I was whipping up this healthy dip, I couldn’t help but dip my finger to steal a taste…

But don’t limit yourself to serving this garlic hummus with only crackers or veggies. Hummus makes an amazing spread for pita pockets, sandwiches, and burgers.

Honestly, homemade garlic hummus is so much tastier than store bought (what isn’t though)! To boot, it’s also so incredibly easy to make. And it whips up in no time! No time as in 30 minutes tops from start to finish (if even).

I think the secret to the smoothest, creamiest hummus is blending up the tahini first, then blending it with the lemon juice, olive oil, and water. Sure you could save lots of time by just tossing everything into your food processor or the blender and hoping for the best, but you’d be missing out on divinely textured hummus.

If you’re using chickpeas from a can, make sure the can is labelled BPA-free. BPA is a harmful chemical often added to plastics and metals. It leeches from the container into whatever foods the container stores, so to be safe, it’s best to buy BPA-free cans. Eden Foods carries a large line of BPA-free canned pulses and beans. I love using their organic canned garbanzo (chickpeas) in salads, soups, and of course, hummus.

Also, when you’re draining your canned chickpeas, make sure to SAVE THE BEAN WATER! Also known as aquafaba, bean water can be used as an egg white substitute in pretty much any recipe that calls for egg whites. It’s quite amazing!

Now go make yourself a fresh batch of this scrumptious homemade garlic hummus. If you’re throwing a party or are in charge of bringing an appetizer, blending up this simple dip and serving it with cut up veggies and crackers is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Don’t forget to comment and share on Instagram (using the tag #thehappinesskitchen and tagging @thehappinesskitchen_) if you make this super simple garlic hummus!

Super Simple Garlic Hummus

This homemade super simple garlic hummus is very easy to make and tastes so much better than storebought hummus. It's loaded with fibre, zinc, and magnesium, along with other nutrients. It pairs perfectly with cut up veggies, crackers, as well as being an amazing spread for sandwiches, wraps, and burgers.

Course Dip

Prep Time 20minutes

Total Time 20minutes

Servings 3cups

Author Jasmin Meere (thehappinesskitchen.com)

Ingredients

1/3cupfresh lemon juice

1/2cupstirred tahini

1/4cupextra virgin olive oil

2clovesgarlic

1teaspoonapple cider vinegar

1/2teaspoonpink Himalayan saltor to taste

1/2teaspoonground cumin

1 14ozBPA-free can of cooked chickpeas398 ml, about 2 cups

1/4cupfiltered waterplus a couple tablespoons more as needed

Instructions

In a high speed blender or food processor fitted with a metal S-blade, process tahini until smooth and creamy (about 2 minutes). Scrape down the container after each minute. Add in olive oil, lemon juice, and water and process until smooth.

Add in garlic cloves, apple cider vinegar, salt, and ground cumin.

Process for 30 seconds. Scrape down bowl, and process for another 30 seconds.

If using canned chickpeas, strain chickpea liquid (aquafaba) into a bowl. Rinse chickpeas under cold water. Reserve chickpea liquid to use as an egg white substitue.

Little by little add in your chickpeas. Scrape down container every so often.

If hummus is still really thick and grainy, add in a little more water a tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Keep homemade hummus in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Quote of the post:

“If you fell down yesterday, stand up today”
– H. G. Wells

note: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase an item from this link, I may get a small commission at no extra charge on your part. I only include links for products that I currently use and love. Thank you for your support!

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/simple-garlic-hummus/feed/0654Easy Peasy Chia Puddinghttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/chia-pudding/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/chia-pudding/#commentsSat, 21 Jan 2017 16:25:36 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=537It's been two weeks since I've been back at school, and I'm starting to settle back into the routine of eat, sleep, read textbooks, repeat. Part of that routine though definitely includes enjoying a big jar of easy peasy chia pudding; sometimes in class, sometimes on the bus. I always get odd looks when I bring out the chia pudding jar, but hey -- this girl knows the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

It’s been two weeks since I’ve been back at school, and I’m starting to settle back into the routine of eat, sleep, read textbooks, repeat. Part of that routine though definitely includes enjoying a big jar of easy peasy chia pudding; sometimes in class, sometimes on the bus. I always get odd looks when I bring out the chia pudding jar, but hey — this girl knows the importance of a nutritious breakfast.

When your alarm goes off at 6:30 (so that you can make yourself a nice, healthy breakfast and actually make it to your 8:30 class on time) it’s oh so tempting to just hit the snooze button and roll over back into sweet slumber. Sleep longer…or make yourself a nourishing breakfast? That is the question. And the former often comes out the winner, especially in the winter time. I mean, how could you not rather want to snuggle up under the blankets?

Luckily, you can have both a longer sleep and a wholesome breakfast when you have a batch of chia pudding waiting for you in the fridge. Simply toss the jar into your lunch bag, purse, backpack and away you go towards a productive (hopefully yes?) day.

Seriously, chia pudding is a life saver. It’s very easy to make, super customizable, and very nutritious!

Remember those little green sprouts that grew out of terra cotta trolls and other fun containers? Well, those little sprouts come from chia seeds (aka little powerhouses of nutrition). For only 2 tablespoons, they contain an incredible source of dietary fibre (11 g), protein (4g) , and omega-3 fatty acids (5g). In addition, chia seeds contain a significant amount 0f calcium, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus, among other vitamins and minerals. To boot, chia seeds are high in antioxidants, which help our body fight off free radicals (the little buggers that contribute to aging and disease).

Honestly, you can never go wrong with including chia seeds in your diet.

Chia pudding is very similar to tapioca pudding in texture, so it feels like you’re eating dessert for breakfast! Mind you, this chia pudding can easily be enjoyed as a dessert too!

Once you have this easy peasy chia pudding recipe down, the possibilities for flavour and topping customization is endless!

Currently, my favourite toppings and mix-ins are frozen blueberries or raspberries. They’re super easy to toss into your chia pudding before leaving the house, and as they melt, they give your chia pudding a wonderful fruity flavour. And of course, you get all the extra nutrition from the berries.

Notes

Your chia pudding will keep refrigerated in an air-tight for up to 3 days. It will also get a lot thicker the longer it sits, so you might want to add in a tiny splash of milk before eating it.

Quote of the post:

“My grandmother lived to 104 years old, and part of her success was she woke up every morning to a brand new day. She said every morning is a new gift. Her favourite hobby was collecting birthdays.”
– George Takei

]]>http://thehappinesskitchen.com/chia-pudding/feed/12537Creamy Parsnip Souphttp://thehappinesskitchen.com/creamy-parsnip-soup/
http://thehappinesskitchen.com/creamy-parsnip-soup/#commentsFri, 13 Jan 2017 14:59:19 +0000http://thehappinesskitchen.com/?p=820Things that aren’t so great about winter: the cold. Things that can easily remedy that: cozy sweaters, fuzzy socks, and hot soup. Hot, creamy parsnip soup. This soup is so very luscious. Dried thyme and bay leaves, along with sautéed garlic and onion make this soup extra flavourful. Here where I am (where the winter...

This soup is so very luscious. Dried thyme and bay leaves, along with sautéed garlic and onion make this soup extra flavourful.

Here where I am (where the winter months are very snowy and very cold), root vegetables are in their peak season, and it could not have fallen at a better time. It’s such a blessing that root veggies are cheap right when my body is craving hot soup all day, everyday.

Another blessing: discovering the existence of parsnips.

Well, I knew about the parsnip, but never cooked with it before.

This hardy, fibre-rich root vegetable looks just like a white carrot, but has a slightly sweeter and nuttier taste. Like carrots, the parsnip also brings plenty of nutritional benefits. It’s loaded with minerals like potassium (important for healthy hearts), manganese, magnesium, phosphorous, zinc, and iron. Not to mention, it contains a fair number of vitamins as well, such as vitamin B, vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K.

With so many nutrients, parsnips are the perfect vegetable to keep you healthy during the winter months. And what better way to enjoy this pale root veggie than in a steamy, creamy parsnip soup.

Honestly, I was really worried about how this parsnip soup was going to turn out. I had made a carrot and ginger soup for New Years Day and it was…well…not very good (to me at least, other people seemed to like it, but I feel like they were just being nice). I hadn’t blended my carrot and ginger soup enough and so it ended up being grainy (I had added almonds). Blech. And, my spices and aromatics were not balanced at all. It was a sad, sad, soup day.

But lucky for me (and lucky for you) the soup gods were smiling down on my creamy parsnip soup because it turned out D-E-L-I-C-I-O-U-S! In fear that my soup was going to be bland, I had my sister take the first taste.

“It’s actually really good”
– Liana

I think I might have squinted at her a little bit because I just didn’t believe her. I went to take a little spoonful for myself and the world stopped for a second. You know when you make something so tasty, so flavourful, so absolutely perfect that nothing else exists except for the exquisite and divine flavour in your mouth. Yeah, I was having that moment.

But seriously, this soup is perfectly velvety and perfectly savoury. The ingredients are pretty simple and homey, but when they come together they create something you’d feel proud to serve in your best dinnerware (I forgot that word so I had to google “dishware” to find it. Ahaha…).

Best of all, this creamy parsnip soup is so so so easy to make. It can easily be whipped up in 30 minutes!

Sautée your garlic and onions. Toss in your chopped up vegetables, broth, cashew milk, and spices. Let your pot of magic goodness boil and bubble until the vegetables have softened (but do turn it down to a simmer after it does boil). Blend, blend, blend. Serve. Garnish. Be transported to soup nirvana.

Garnishes:

Instructions

Sautée diced onion and crushed garlic. Remove from heat once onion is soft and garlic is fragrant (about 7 minutes).

Meanwhile, peel and chop potatoes, parsnips, celery, and apple.

Return soup pot to heat. Add in cut up vegetables and fruit along with stock, cashew milk, bay leaf, dried thyme, black pepper, and salt. Bring soup to a boil. Once soup has boiled, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until parsnips and potatoes have softened.

Purée soup in a blender or using an immersion stick blender until completely smooth and velvety.